Arsen Borisovich Avakov(Ukrainian Arsen Borisovich Avakov; born January 2, 1964 in Baku) - Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (from February 27, 2014, acting from February 22 to 27). He ranks 118th in the ranking of “200 richest people in Ukraine” (2013) with a fortune of $98.9 million.
Previously, People's Deputy of Ukraine (2012-2014), Chairman of the Kharkov Regional State Administration (2005-2010), Deputy of the Kharkov Regional Council. Member of the National Council on Interaction between State Authorities and Local Government Bodies (2008-2010), the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (2007-2008), and the Euro 2012 Organizing Committee (2007). Honored Economist of Ukraine (2007).
Early years
Born on January 2, 1964 in the village named after. Kirov (Kirov district, currently Binagadi district) Baku (Az SSR) in the family of a military man. By nationality - Armenian. Since 1966 he has lived permanently in Ukraine.
In 1981-1982 he worked as a preparator at the Department of Automated Control Systems at the Kharkov Polytechnic Institute. In 1988 he graduated from the institute with a degree in Automated Control Systems, qualification - systems engineer. In 1987-1990 he worked as an engineer at the All-Union Scientific Research Institute for Water Protection in Kharkov.
In 1990, he founded and headed Investor JSC, and in 1992, the commercial bank Basis. In 2002, he was elected a member of the executive committee of the Kharkov City Council. During the 2004 presidential campaign, he was deputy head of the Kharkov headquarters of Viktor Yushchenko and first deputy chairman of the Kharkov regional “National Salvation Committee”.
Kharkov Governor
On February 4, 2005, by decree of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, he was appointed chairman of the Kharkov Regional State Administration. After his appointment, he resigned as chairman of the supervisory board of JSC Investor and JSCB Basis.
In March 2005, he was elected to the council of the People's Union Our Ukraine party, a member of the party's presidium. On March 26, 2006, he was elected as a deputy of the Kharkov Regional Council of the 5th convocation, a member of the commission on budget issues. On April 11, 2009, at the proposal of the leader of the All-Ukrainian public movement “For Ukraine!” Vyacheslav Kirilenko was elected chairman of the Kharkov regional organization “For Ukraine!”
On February 3, 2010, an extraordinary session of the Kharkov Regional Council passed a vote of no confidence in Avakov as the head of the region with the wording “ for the use of administrative resources during preparations for the second round of presidential elections" 108 deputies voted “for” the resignation of the governor, 8 “against”, 1 abstained and 1 did not vote. On February 5, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko dismissed Avakov from his post on the basis of Part 10 of Art. 118 of the Constitution of Ukraine, which states that if two-thirds or more of the deputies of the council at the appropriate level express no confidence in the chairman of a district or regional state administration, the president decides to resign the chairman of the state administration.
On February 9, 2010, two days after Viktor Yanukovych’s victory in the presidential elections, he resigned from the post of chairman of the Kharkov Regional State Administration in accordance with Part 3 of Art. 31 of the Law of Ukraine on Civil Service “fundamental disagreement with the decision of a government body or official, as well as ethical obstacles to being in the public service,” stating that he has not yet received a presidential decree on his resignation and does not want to take part in this soap opera opera, although until that moment he considered the presidential decree illegal.
In 2010-2013
On April 21, 2010, he joined the Batkivshchyna party and accepted Yulia Tymoshenko’s offer to head the regional organization of Batkivshchyna, and is a member of the political council of the party. In October 2010, he took part in the elections of the Kharkov mayor, together with the representative of the Communist Party of Ukraine Alla Aleksandrovskaya and was the main rival. O. city mayor Gennady Kernes. The elections themselves and the vote counting procedure took place in a scandalous atmosphere with numerous violations. According to Freedom House, there is information that as a result of massive violations, the election result was changed in favor of Gennady Kernes.
Since the fall of 2011, Avakov has been in Europe on business with his own foundation, in particular promoting the film “The Armenian Heritage of Europe.” Until December 2012, he was in exile in Italy due to criminal prosecution in Ukraine.
Following the results of the autumn parliamentary elections of 2012, he was elected as a people’s deputy of Ukraine on the lists of the united opposition “Batkivshchyna”. On November 27, 2012, Avakov announced his intention to return to Ukraine and begin his duties as a people’s deputy. In parliament he was chairman of the subcommittee on legislation on the status of people's deputy of Ukraine.
Minister of the Interior
During the political crisis in Ukraine in 2013-2014, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on February 22, 2014 dismissed the acting Minister of Internal Affairs Vitaly Zakharchenko and appointed Arsen Avakov as acting Minister. Immediately after his appointment, Arsen Avakov announced that the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine would include representatives of the Right Sector and the Maidan Self-Defense.
On February 25, 2014, Avakov carried out personnel changes in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, ordered an official investigation into the commission of disciplinary offenses, abuse of official powers, abuse of official position by the heads of the Main Directorates and Directorates of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in a number of regions and signed order number 144 “On the dissolution of a special unit of the public police security "Berkut".
On February 27, 2014, Avakov was confirmed as Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. On March 13, 2014, he wrote a statement to the relevant committee about resigning his deputy mandate.
On the night of March 24-25, 2014, Alexander Muzychko was killed during police detention in the Rivne region. Right Sector accused Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov of Muzychko’s murder and promised to take revenge on him. In response, Avakov said: “If some bandits threaten the minister, I accept this challenge and am ready to accept any challenge.” On the evening of March 27, 2014, Right Sector activists stormed the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine demanding Avakov’s resignation.
Based on the results of 100 days of work as minister, Avakov named among his main achievements the prevention of a separatist scenario in Kharkov, the re-establishment of the National Guard and the successful work of the police during the presidential elections. At the same time, he admitted that in the current conditions it was not possible to carry out reform in the Ministry of Internal Affairs
On July 29, 2014, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the department’s plans to replace about 20 thousand police officers in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions who had discredited themselves during recent events in these regions.
Criminal prosecution
In Ukraine (2012)
On January 26, 2012, the Ukrainian prosecutor's office opened a criminal case against Arsen Avakov under Art. 365 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine on the fact of malicious abuse of power and official authority, leading to grave consequences, specifically for the illegal change of purpose and transfer to private ownership of 55 hectares of state land worth over 5.5 million hryvnia in Pesochin. On January 31, his apartments were searched. The reason for initiating a criminal case was discovered during the inventory of the Kharkov branch of the State Land Committee at the end of 2011, although a similar procedure at the end of 2010 did not reveal the land transfer act that existed at that time.
Since Avakov had been in Europe since the fall of 2011, on January 31, 2012, he was put on the international wanted list by Interpol. On the same day, the Chervonozavodsky District Court of Kharkov chose a preventive measure against him - detention. Avakov appealed to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine with a request to close the criminal case against him, due to the lack of corpus delicti, on the basis of clause 2 of part 1 of Art. 6 Code of Criminal Procedure of Ukraine..
On March 21, he was officially put on the wanted list by Interpol. On March 25, information appeared in the media that Avakov was detained in Italy in the city of Frosinone. On March 29, an Italian court arrested Avakov for 40 days. On April 12, by decision of a Roman court, Avakov was released from custody. On October 18, 2012, a trial was held in Italy, by which Ukraine was denied the extradition of Avakov.
In Russia (2014)
On June 21, 2014, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case against Arsen Avakov and the head of the Dnepropetrovsk regional administration Igor Kolomoisky, accusing them of organizing murders, using prohibited means and methods of warfare, obstructing the professional activities of journalists and kidnapping during an armed confrontation in the east Ukraine. Avakov called the criminal prosecution in Russia a “high appreciation” of the work he has done, promising to continue “to be as inconvenient as possible for the Putin regime.”
As part of this case, the Russian Investigative Committee, according to a number of media reports, began to massively interrogate all Ukrainian citizens in the Russian Federation. The agency announced the interrogation of only forced refugees and citizens of Ukraine who have relatives in the conflict zone; out of 4 thousand interrogated, 2.7 thousand were recognized as victims.
On July 9, 2014, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow considered and granted the request of the RF Investigative Committee to impose a preventive measure in absentia in the form of detention against Arsen Avakov. The trial itself took place in a closed mode from listeners at the request of the prosecutor, because the materials contain personal data of the victims - citizens of Ukraine and the Russian Federation, and the trial against Igor Kolomoisky was also held. However, Avakov has diplomatic immunity.
Social activities
Arsen Avakov is a co-founder of the Marianna Avakova Foundation (named in honor of his deceased sister), founder of the Arsen Avakov Producer Fund, president of the Renaissance Charitable Foundation, co-chairman of the organizing committee of the Star Bridge International Science Fiction Festival. In 2008-2010, he was the chairman of the Kharkov regional branch of the National Olympic Committee.
Personal condition
According to the magazine Focus and publications Newspaper in Kharkov style, Avakov’s personal wealth (capital) at the beginning of 2008 was $385 million. Avakov ranked 76th in the list of the richest people in Ukraine.
According to Focus magazine, by 2011 his fortune had decreased to $282.9 million (65th place). In 2013, his fortune was $98.9 million (118th place in the ranking of “200 richest people in Ukraine”).
Personal life
He is married to Inna Avakova and has a son, Alexander.
Arsen Borisovich Avakov - quotes
I am a Ukrainian nationalist Arsen Avakov, who speaks only and exclusively Ukrainian. - Commenting on relations with the mayor of Kharkov Mikhail Dobkin. 
I am not between the president and the prime minister - I am always with the president! If my point of view differs from him on key positions, then I, as an honest person, will resign. The President appointed me and entrusted his positions to me.
I feel very comfortable and, most importantly, quite confident in the Kharkov region.
The position of Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs implies a position. If bandits threaten the minister, I accept this challenge and am ready.
I call anyone who calls himself and dresses up in any clothes a bandit - let it be “Right Sector”, “Batkivshchyna” or “Maidan Self-Defense”. Real patriots defend the border of Ukraine with weapons in their hands and stand there at checkpoints. And those who climb around enterprises; those who seize garbage dumps in Zaporozhye or private households are bandits.
Arsen Borisovich Avakov is a Ukrainian entrepreneur, banker, politician, statesman, and since 2014 the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. Arsen was born on January 2, 1964 in the village named after Kirov, the capital of Azerbaijan, in the family of Boris Surenovich and Tatyana Matveevna Avakov. The parents were Armenians by nationality; Boris Surenovich’s real name was Avakyan. My father served as a military pilot; in 1966 he was transferred to Kharkov.
In 1981, Arsen graduated from a Kharkov school, then entered KhPU, where he received a qualification as a systems engineer with a specialty in Automated Control Systems. After his third year at the university, Avakov annually went to work in the Tyumen region as the commander of construction department No. 18 of the Novourengoygazstroy trust and BMP-522 PSMO Tyumendorstroy of the Urengoytransstroy trust.
Arsen Avakov in childhood with his father In his fifth year, he got a job as an engineer at the All-Union Research Institute of Water Protection in Kharkov, where he worked for three years until 1990. Avakov’s field of activity included studying issues of mathematical modeling.
Business
In 1990, Avakov became the head of the first Ukrainian JSC Investor, which he founded. Arsen Borisovich held the post of president of the enterprise until 2005. Over the years of its existence, the financial and industrial group has subordinated 40 enterprises from various sectors of the economy, including energy and food.
With the support of the Governor of the Kharkov region, Evgeniy Kushnarev, Arsen Avakov launched JSCB Basis in 1992 on the basis of the Investor financial and industrial group. The bank's partners were JSC Turboatom, CJSC Teploelektrotsentral-3, Regional Municipal Enterprise Kharkov Heating Networks, KP Kharkov Heating Networks, OJSC UTsEBOTneftegaz, CJSC Saltovsky Bakery, LLC Ukrainian Tea Factory AkhmadTI, Dublyansky Alcohol Plant, Novopokrovsky State Bakery Plant. Branches of the Kharkov bank were opened in Dnepropetrovsk and Kyiv.
In the mid-90s, Arsen Avakov started the construction business of a full cycle of developments, creating the companies “Investor Elite Service”, “KARST-8”. The entrepreneur also opened a brokerage company, a publishing house, and the Investor Elite Bud company, which provides services in the field of advertising and marketing. The Avakov family still controls food distribution enterprises and transport companies.
For 20 years, Arsen Avakov supervised the activities of the charitable foundation “Kharkov City Charitable Foundation named after. Marianna Avakova”, created in memory of her deceased sister. Currently, the Minister of Internal Affairs holds the post of head of the Renaissance Foundation, which is engaged in charity.
Policy
Since 2002, Arsen Avakov served as a member of the executive committee of the Kharkov administration. As stated in the official biography, in 2004 he served as deputy head of the Kharkov branch of the election headquarters. In 2005, he was appointed to the position of head of the Kharkov regional administration, which required the resignation of leadership positions in the business structures of JSCB Basis and JSC Investor.
In 2010, before the presidential elections in Ukraine, he was removed from his post as governor of the Kharkov region due to his support for the bloc. Avakov suggested that the purpose of his dismissal was to ensure the required number of votes. Due to criminal prosecution in his homeland, he was hiding in Italy in the city of Frosinone until 2012. Avakov was accused of illegally appropriating 55 hectares of state-owned land.
Returning to his homeland in 2012, Arsen Avakov took a deputy post from the Batkivshchyna bloc in the Verkhovna Rada of the 7th convocation. During the political crisis at the end of 2013, he was involved in arranging a tent city on Maidan Nezalezhnosti. After the bloody events and the coup d'etat at the end of February 2014, he received the post of Minister of Internal Affairs in the government apparatus, replacing his predecessor Vitaly Zakharchenko.
At his new post, Avakov changed personnel and disbanded the Berkut unit. In March, he oversaw the operation to eliminate Alexander Muzychko, for which he assigned responsibility to the Russian special services. In the summer of 2014, he left the Batkivshchyna party along with Alexander Turchynov, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Sergei Pashinsky, Pavel Petrenko. At the end of 2014, he was accused of carrying out financial fraud in the purchase of military equipment for the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In the spring of 2016, after the start of the work of the new government headed by the Prime Minister, Avakov was one of the few who retained his post in the new Cabinet.
Personal life
Arsen Avakov is officially married to Inna Avakova, who served as Deputy Chairman of PJSC JSCB Basis for 18 years, starting in 1994. The couple have a son, Alexander, who in 2014 participated in military operations in the east of the country as part of the special battalion of the Ministry of Internal Affairs “Kyiv-1”. Avakov’s wife lives in Kharkov and runs the family business. In 2015, the project of Lisova Galyavina LLC was launched, which is an amusement park equipped in an exotic style.
Little is known about the life of the Avakov family. Inna and Alexander do not maintain any official pages on social networks, unlike the head of the family, who has already been dubbed the “Minister of Facebook” in the media. On his own account, the politician covers his public activities with a large number of posts with photos.
Arsen Avakov now
In 2017, with the assistance of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and Arsen Avakov personally, an attempt to assassinate former Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova Vladimir Plahotniuc was prevented. The alleged perpetrators were detained in Chisinau, and the organizers were arrested in Kyiv.
Also, as part of the work to expose the Yanukovych-Klimenko corruption scheme, the Ministry of Internal Affairs arrested 25 officials. Now Arsen Avakov is strengthening his political position in the Cabinet of Ministers, which could lead to another redistribution of power.
Place of birth, education. Born in Baku in the family of a military man. Lives in Ukraine since 1966. In 1988, he graduated from the Kharkov Polytechnic University with a degree in automated control systems (qualified as a systems engineer).
Career. While studying at the institute, in the summer of 1985, Avakov worked as a foreman (detachment commander) of the construction department No. 18 of the Novourengoygazstroy trust in the Tyumen region. In the summer of 1986 - commander of the student construction team BMP-522 PSMO Tyumendorstroy of the Urengoytransstroy trust.
In 1987-1990 - engineer of the Kharkov Research Institute of Water Protection. He was engaged in scientific activities, in particular, issues of mathematical modeling.
In 1990, he founded one of the first joint-stock companies in Ukraine - JSC Investor, in which he took the post of president.
In 1992, he created and headed the commercial bank Basis.
In 2002, he was elected a member of the executive committee of the Kharkov City Council.
On February 4, 2005, by decree of the President of Ukraine, whom he actively supported in the 2004 elections, he was appointed to the post of chairman of the Kharkov Regional State Administration. On the same day, as indicated in the official biography, he resigned as chairman of the supervisory boards of controlled business structures - JSC AKB Basis and JSC Investor.
On February 5, 2010, on the eve of the re-voting in the presidential elections, he was relieved of his post as head of the Kharkov Regional State Administration. Avakov, who expressed support for advancing to the second round, regarded this dismissal as illegal. He considered it no coincidence that the president's decision to release the governors of the two largest regions - Dnepropetrovsk and Kharkov - on the eve of the second round of presidential elections. According to Avakov, these decrees were aimed at destabilizing the situation in the regions, in order to provide Tymoshenko’s rival, in particular in the Kharkov region, with voting results similar to those in 2005.
One of the ex-governor’s deputies was the nephew of the head of state, Yaroslav Yushchenko, the son of the president’s elder brother Peter Yushchenko.
Avakov was a member of the pro-Yushchenko party Our Ukraine and its presidium. Since 2006 - deputy of the Kharkov regional council from Our Ukraine, member of the commission on budget issues. Since the fall of 2010 - deputy of the regional council from the party VO Batkivshchyna (leader - Tymoshenko). Heads the Kharkov regional organization of the Fatherland.
Since December 2012 - People's Deputy of Ukraine of the VII convocation from the party (No. 24 on the list). Member of the committee on issues of regulations, parliamentary ethics and ensuring the activities of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
On February 27, 2014, he was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the government. Replaced him as head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Among Avakov’s long-time political opponents are representatives. Particularly irreconcilable enemies include the regionals, and Vasily Salygin, the ex-head of the Kharkov regional council.
On December 2, 2014, the Verkhovna Rada approved a new composition of the Cabinet of Ministers, in which Arsen Avakov received the post of Minister of Internal Affairs.
On April 14, 2016, parliament dismissed Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, supporting a candidacy in his place. On the same day, the Rada approved the new composition of the Cabinet of Ministers, in which Avakov retained the position of head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Wealth and assets. In February 2008, Focus magazine ranked Avakov 67th in its list of the 130 richest Ukrainians. The publication's experts estimated the fortune of the governor of the Kharkiv region at $385 million. It was noted that a year earlier it was equal to $300 million.
JSCB Basis was registered by the National Bank of Ukraine in 1992. It has branches in Dnepropetrovsk and Kyiv. In May 1995, the former branch of the Kharkov investment commercial bank for the development of light industry, Interstroibank, merged into it.
Among the bank's partners are JSC Investor, JSC Turboatom, JSC Teploelektrocentral-3, Regional Municipal Enterprise Kharkov Heating Networks, KP Kharkov Heating Networks, JSC UTsEBOTneftegaz, JSC Saltovsky Bread Factory, LLC Ukrainian Tea Factory AkhmadTI, Dublyansky Alcohol Plant, Novopokrovsky State Bakery Plant.
Basis is part of the financial and industrial group Investor. The founder and owner of the controlling stake (50.55% of the bank's authorized capital) is JSC Investor, whose main “controller” is called Avakov.
According to Focus, FIG Investor coordinates the activities of about 40 diversified enterprises. Incl. in the energy sector, production and sale of the popular Akhmad tea brand in Ukraine.
Regalia. Honored Economist of Ukraine. Author of 12 scientific publications and one monograph.
Family. The politician is married and has a son.
Charity. Avakov, as an individual, is a co-founder of several charitable structures.
The Marianna Avakova Foundation provides assistance to orphanages, boarding schools, and orphans.
The Star Bridge charity organization is involved in holding an annual international fantasy festival, publishing fantasy literature, and carrying out social and educational activities in orphanages, schools, and universities.
The Renaissance Charitable Foundation organizes charity events, concerts, auctions, restoration and revival of historical and architectural monuments, grant support for young scientists, scientific programs, and children's creativity.
, Pavel Petrenko, Liliya Grinevich.
On September 10, Avakov joined the military council of the Popular Front, because According to Ukrainian law, military personnel and law enforcement officers cannot be members of any party.
Personal matter
Lives in Ukraine since 1966. Graduated (1988) from the Kharkov Polytechnic Institute named after. V.I. Lenin, specialty - automated control systems, systems engineer.
While studying at the institute, in the summer of 1985, Avakov worked as a foreman (detachment commander) of the construction department N18 of the Novourengoygazstroy trust in the Tyumen region. In the summer of 1986 - commander of the student construction team BMP-522 PSMO Tyumendorstoy trust Urengoytransstroy.
- In 1987-1990 - engineer of the Kharkov Research Institute of Water Protection. He was engaged in scientific activities, in particular, issues of mathematical modeling.
- In 1990, he founded one of the first joint-stock companies in Ukraine, JSC Investor, in which he served as president. In 1992, under his leadership, the Basis commercial bank was created.
- In 2002, Avakov A.B. was elected a member of the executive committee of the Kharkov City Council.
- On February 4, 2005, he resigned as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of JSCB Basis and JSC Investor.
- On February 4, 2005, by decree of the President of Ukraine, he was appointed to the position of Chairman of the Kharkov Regional State Administration.
- Since November 2012, people's deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the VII convocation, No. 24 on the party list of the VO "Batkivshchyna".
- From February 27, 2014, Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (acting from February 22 to 27).
Family:
He is married to Inna Avakova and has a son, Alexander.
Son Alexander has been serving in the special battalion of the Ministry of Internal Affairs "Kyiv-1" since the beginning of August 2014, operating in the ATO zone and taking part in the liberation of Slavyansk.
Operational case
Business dossier
As they say on the sidelines, Arsen Avakov built his business with the active support of the former Kharkov governor Evgeniy Kushnarev. Arsen Borisovich refutes this: “I did everything with my own hands and with my team and do not owe anything to the authorities (“Glavred”, August 12, 2005).
| Reference: Ranks 118th in the ranking of “200 richest people in Ukraine” (2013) with a fortune of $98.9 million (Fokus.ua, March 29, 2013). In 2011, Focus magazine estimated Arsen Avakov's wealth at $282.9 million (No. 65 in the ranking of the 200 richest people in Ukraine). In 2009, Focus magazine estimated Avakov's fortune at $57.5 million. According to the publication, over the past year he lost $327.5 million. In 2007, Arsen Borisovich, according to the official declaration, earned just over a million hryvnia. The total income of his family members amounted to 175 thousand 897 UAH. Avakov owns a plot of land of 12 acres, a garage, three apartments - two in Kharkov, one in Chuguev, Kharkov region. Arsen Avakov himself says that he lives in a three-room apartment in a panel house on the outskirts of Kharkov. According to the Vechernie Vedomosti newspaper, the Kharkov governor owns a 12-room apartment in the center of Kharkov on Mironositskaya Street. The total area of the apartment is 657.9 sq. m. m. Avakov’s accounts in banks and other financial and credit institutions contain 132 thousand 2.61 UAH, and the accounts of his family members contain 114 thousand 596 UAH. |
Political activity
During the 2004 presidential campaign, he was deputy head of the Kharkov headquarters of Viktor Yushchenko and first deputy chairman of the Kharkov regional “National Salvation Committee”.
Governor of Kharkov region
On February 4, 2005, by decree of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, he was appointed chairman of the Kharkov Regional State Administration. After his appointment, he resigned as chairman of the supervisory board of JSC Investor and JSCB Basis.
In March 2005, he was elected to the council of the People's Union "Our Ukraine" party, a member of the party's presidium. On March 26, 2006, he was elected as a deputy of the Kharkov Regional Council of the V convocation, a member of the commission on budget issues. On April 11, 2009, at the proposal of the leader of the All-Ukrainian public movement "For Ukraine!” Vyacheslav Kirilenko was elected chairman of the Kharkov regional organization “For Ukraine!”
On February 3, 2010, an extraordinary session of the Kharkov Regional Council passed a vote of no confidence in Avakov as the head of the region with the wording “for the use of administrative resources during the preparation for the second round of presidential elections” (Newspaper “Time of Kharkiv Regions” No. 6(209), 2010, p.2 ).
On February 5, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko dismissed Avakov from his post on the basis of Part 10 of Art. 118 of the Constitution of Ukraine, which states that if two-thirds or more of the deputies of the council at the appropriate level express no confidence in the chairman of a district or regional state administration, the president decides to resign the chairman of the state administration.
On February 9, 2010, two days after Viktor Yanukovych’s victory in the presidential elections, he resigned from the post of chairman of the Kharkov Regional State Administration in accordance with Part 3 of Art. 31 of the Law of Ukraine on Civil Service “fundamental disagreement with the decision of a government body or official, as well as ethical obstacles to being in the public service,” stating that he has not yet received a presidential decree on his resignation and does not want to take part in this soap opera opera, although until that moment he considered the presidential decree illegal.
In "Fatherland"
Since the fall of 2011, Avakov has been in Europe on business with his own foundation, in particular promoting the film “The Armenian Heritage of Europe.” Until December 2012, he was in exile in Italy due to criminal prosecution in Ukraine.
Following the results of the autumn parliamentary elections of 2012, he was elected as a people's deputy of Ukraine on the lists of the united opposition "Batkivshchyna". On November 27, 2012, Avakov announced his intention to return to Ukraine and begin his duties as a people’s deputy. In parliament he was chairman of the subcommittee on legislation on the status of people's deputy of Ukraine.
Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
During the political crisis in Ukraine in 2013-2014, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on February 22, 2014 dismissed the acting. Minister of Internal Affairs Vitaly Zakharchenko and appointed Arsen Avakov as acting. Immediately after his appointment, Arsen Avakov announced that the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine would include representatives of the Right Sector and Maidan Self-Defense.
On February 25, Avakov carried out personnel changes in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, ordered an official investigation into the facts of disciplinary offenses, abuse of power, abuse of official position by the heads of the Main Directorates and Directorates of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in a number of regions and signed order number 144 “On the dissolution of a special unit of the public security police.” Berkut"
On February 27, Avakov was confirmed as the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. On March 13, 2014, he wrote a statement to the relevant committee about resigning his deputy mandate.
Death of "Sashka Bilyo" and accusations of the "Right Sector"
On the night of March 24-25, Alexander Muzychko was killed during police detention in the Rivne region. "Right Sector" accused the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov of the murder of Muzychko and promised to take revenge on him.
In response, Avakov said: “If some bandits threaten the minister, I accept this challenge and am ready to accept any challenge.”
On the evening of March 27, 2014, Right Sector activists stormed the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine demanding Avakov’s resignation.
Based on the results of 100 days of work as minister, Avakov named among his main achievements the prevention of a separatist scenario in Kharkov, the re-establishment of the National Guard and the successful work of the police during the presidential elections. At the same time, he admitted that under the current conditions it was not possible to carry out reform of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
On July 29, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the department’s plans to replace about 20 thousand police officers in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions who discredited themselves during recent events in these regions.
On August 19, Arsen Avakov signed an order on joint actions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting to monitor compliance with legislation in the field of a temporary ban on broadcasting Russian television channels that promote war and violence in the country. Territorial divisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will help identify cable operators who do not comply with the decision to stop broadcasting banned Russian TV channels on the territory of Ukraine, as well as monitor their broadcast on internal cable networks in public buildings.
On August 26, Arsen Avakov announced that he would not participate in the parliamentary elections together with the Batkivshchyna party, about 20 people left the political council with him, among them: Alexander Turchynov, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Sergei Pashinsky, Andrey Parubiy, Pavel Petrenko , Liliya Grinevich.
The reason, according to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, was that they were unable to agree with the party on a merger with several other political forces and put the current Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk at the head of the list.
A new political party was created by re-registering an existing one, its name is “Popular Front”.
On September 10, Arsen Avakov joined the military council of this party, created in accordance with Ukrainian legislation, according to which military personnel and law enforcement officers cannot be members of any party.
At the end of August 2014, Arsen Avakov announced a plan to submit a draft reform of the Ministry of Internal Affairs by September 15, and which is planned to be adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers and Parliament by the end of October. The project itself is almost ready, and the remaining details will be finalized by the specified deadline.
Political persecution
In Ukraine:
In January 2012, according to the website of the Kharkov Regional State Administration, the prosecutor's office of the Kharkov region carried out an investigation into the appeal of the Kharkov Regional State Administration dated January 3, 2012 about the illegal actions of the former head of the regional state administration Avakov when signing and issuing state acts on ownership of land plots to one of the limited liability companies.
Based on the results of an inspection by the regional prosecutor's office, a criminal case was opened against officials of the regional state administration and the Main Directorate of the State Committee for Land Resources in the Kharkov region on the fact of illegal alienation of state-owned land during 2009 through abuse of official position, which entailed grave consequences, and on the fact of official forgery on the grounds of a crime provided for Part 2 of Article 364, Part 2 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The pre-trial investigation in a criminal case was entrusted to the department for investigating criminal cases of crimes related to corruption of the Kharkov region prosecutor's office and was taken under control by the leadership of the regional prosecutor's office.
According to information from the head of the Main Legal Department of the regional state administration, Konstantin Prokopiev, due to illegal actions of officials of the regional state administration and the Main Directorate of the State Committee for Land in the Kharkov region in 2009, the designated purpose of state-owned agricultural land with a total area of almost 55 hectares worth over 5.5 million UAH was illegally changed.
| The information about the initiation of a criminal case against me was both unexpected and expected for me at the same time. Back in October, the general strategy of officials of the ruling regime in the country became clear to me: to find any reason to deal with me and those around me.
They attacked, opened cases, put people close to me in prison under far-fetched, fabricated reasons. I spoke about this openly on my blog in UP. The events of the last few months, the initiation of a case directly against me, have confirmed the obviousness of those October lines... The expected happened. The authorities, seeing increased opposition activity in Kharkov, decided to launch a vulgarly concocted case against me, as one of those who did not accept the lawlessness occurring in the country. Today I instructed my lawyer to visit the prosecutor’s office of the Kharkov region to familiarize myself with the charges, which are completely unknown and incomprehensible to me. However, I have no illusions regarding the judicial authorities in our country. But let's try to follow the procedure correctly. - Arsen Avakov, January 12, 2012. |
In Russia:
On June 21, 2014, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case against Arsen Avakov and the head of the Dnepropetrovsk regional administration Igor Kolomoisky, accusing them of organizing murders, using prohibited means and methods of warfare, obstructing the professional activities of journalists and kidnapping during the ATO in Donbass Ukraine. Avakov called the criminal prosecution in Russia a “high assessment” of the work he has done, promising to continue “to be as inconvenient as possible for the Putin regime.”
As part of this case, the Russian Investigative Committee, according to a number of media reports, began to massively interrogate all Ukrainian citizens in the Russian Federation. The agency announced the interrogation of only forced refugees and citizens of Ukraine who have relatives in the conflict zone.
On July 9, 2014, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow considered and granted the request of the RF Investigative Committee to select an absentee preventive measure in the form of detention against Arsen Avakov. The trial itself took place in a closed mode from listeners at the request of the prosecutor, because the materials contain personal data of the victims - citizens of Ukraine and the Russian Federation, and the trial against Igor Kolomoisky was also held. However, Avakov enjoys diplomatic immunity.
Criminal case
On January 26, 2012, the prosecutor's office of the Kharkov region opened a criminal case against the former head of the Kharkov regional state administration, chairman of the regional organization of the Batkivshchyna party, Arsen Avakov. This was announced by the head of the prosecutor's office of the Kharkov region, Alexander Babikov.
A criminal case was initiated under part three of Article 365 (exceeding official powers and authority, which resulted in grave consequences).
The prosecutor's office of the Kharkov region, having checked the legality of land transactions in 2009, discovered the fact of an illegal change in the intended purpose and transfer of ownership of 55 hectares of state land worth over 5.5 million hryvnia.
The Italian court recognized that Avakov's case is political
On July 8, 2012, information appeared that an Italian court recognized the criminal case initiated against the ex-governor of the Kharkov region, the leader of the regional cell of “Batkivshchyna” Arsen Avakov, as politically motivated. Avakov himself announced this in an interview with the Main publication.
In July 2012, the Italian Prosecutor General's Office, having considered the appeal of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office sent in April for the extradition of Kharkov politician Arsen Avakov, refused. The Italian authorities see political motivation in the activities of their Ukrainian colleagues. They believe that in Ukraine people are still being tried according to Soviet laws, which do not meet European standards of justice.
Titles, ranks, regalia
- Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
- Chairman of the subcommittee on legislation on the status of people's deputy of Ukraine of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Rules of Procedure, parliamentary ethics and ensuring the activities of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
- Deputy of the Kharkov Regional Council of the V and VI convocations. Chairman of the Kharkov regional organization of the political party "VO "Fatherland".
- Honored Economist of Ukraine.
- Has the 1st rank of civil servant.
- Awarded with diplomas from the Kharkov Regional State Administration and the Executive Committee of the City Council.
Avakov Arsen Borisovich was born into the family of a military pilot on January 2, 1964. At the time of his birth, the family lived in the Kirov district of Baku, but after 2 years he moved with his parents to Ukraine, where he still lives.
Education and career
Avakov graduated from the Kharkov Polytechnic University in 1988 with a degree in systems engineer. After some time, he got a job at the Kharkov Institute of Water Protection as an engineer, where he worked until 1990.
Having taken up entrepreneurship, the future head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs established Investor JSC and served as its president until 2005. The two thousand years marked the beginning of a political career.
Activities of politics
During the election race for the post of President of Ukraine in 2004, the Kharkov headquarters of presidential candidate Yushchenko was headed by Arsen Avakov. His biography as a politician began with the post of governor of the Kharkov region. In 2005, by decree of Viktor Yushchenko, Avakov was appointed to this position, after which he said goodbye to JSC Investor and the commercial bank JSCB Basis, created in 1992.
In February 2010, as a result of a “mini-coup,” the regional council of Kharkov expressed no confidence in the head of the region, arguing that Arsen Borisovich used administrative resources during the preparation for the second round of the presidential elections in Ukraine. After the events that occurred on February 3, on February 5, by decree of President Yushchenko, the head of the Kharkov region was dismissed. However, on February 9, the politician himself resigned, saying that he had not yet received a presidential decree, and did not want to remain in this position after Viktor Yanukovych assumed the presidency, since he did not agree with the political course of the new head of state.
2010-2013
In the pre-revolutionary years, Arsen Avakov was on the party lists of “Batkivshchyna” - the party. In October 2010, he ran for the post of Kharkov city mayor, but ultimately lost to the current mayor of Kharkov, Gennady Kernes, with 0.53% of the votes. Since 2012 he has been a people's deputy of Ukraine.
As Minister of Internal Affairs
During the Ukrainian Euromaidan, he provided active assistance to the then oppositionists, working on the infrastructure of protest camps. After the victory of the revolutionaries, he headed the Ministry of Internal Affairs and legalized organizations that were previously considered extremist in Ukraine.
in Ukraine
In 2012, a criminal case was opened against Avakov, where he was accused of abuse of power, which entailed serious consequences. The politician was accused of illegally transferring land into private ownership. The prosecutor's office estimated the total value of 55 hectares of state property at more than 5 million hryvnia. Since Arsen Avakov had been living in Europe since 2011, a Ukrainian court arrested the politician in absentia, and after that Avakov was put on the international wanted list. He was arrested in Italy, after which the Italian side refused to extradite Avakov.
Criminal prosecution in Russia
In June 2014, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against the politician for organizing murders, as well as the use of prohibited means of warfare in the Donbass. In addition to Avakov, the Investigative Committee also arrested a Ukrainian businessman in absentia. Since Arsen Avakov currently has the Investigative Committee, he does not have the ability to arrest a politician.
Avakov family
Married, has one son. According to media reports, Alexander Avakov served for some time in the battalion of the Kyiv-1 volunteer corps. The politician’s son stayed there for a month, after which he returned to the capital, where he was trained as a stormtrooper.
Modernity and prospects
Arsen Avakov secured a position as head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and also significantly increased his influence on political processes in Ukraine after the victory of Euromaidan. Now the minister is busy with the reform of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and also raises the issue of introducing a contract army in Ukraine. Experts are confident that this will allow Avakov to increase his rating, since Ukrainians support the transition of the army to a contract.
Hobby politics
Avakov shows great interest in literature written in the fantasy genre. He became the founder of the annual Star Bridge festival, which takes place in Kharkov. New works from the field of fantasy genre are presented here. Arsen Avakov, whose photo is presented in this article, has friendly relations with two modern science fiction writers - O. Ladyzhensky and D. Gromov. These authors publish their works under the joint pseudonym Henry Lyon Oldie.
The politician also has a special interest in football. He supports FC Kharkov and the Italian Inter. Arsen Borisovich is passionate about numismatics and photography.
Capital
The politician is directly related to the creation of many enterprises on the territory of Ukraine. Here is a list of just some of them:
- Joint Stock Company "Investor" and its subsidiary "Investor Elite Stroy".
- A number of radio companies New Wave, TRC Simon).
- CJSC "CHP-3" and many others.
According to experts (data for 2013), the politician’s capital is approximately $99 million. In the ranking of the wealthiest Ukrainians, Arsen Avakov occupies 118th place.
The politician’s biography contains both ups and downs, but analysts agree that the most dangerous times for Avakov are behind him.